


Before we go

by Sadfangirl



Category: Arrow (TV 2012)
Genre: Missing Scene
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-07
Updated: 2015-10-07
Packaged: 2018-04-25 08:41:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4953769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sadfangirl/pseuds/Sadfangirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Missing scenes in 3x23. Oliver is packing and catching up with his sister.<br/>Felicity goes to see Diggle.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Before we go

**Author's Note:**

> I'm sure that Oliver spent time with his sister and Felicity talked to Diggle before they left at the end of 3x23.
> 
> Wanted to get this published before 4x01.
> 
> I don't own Arrow

Thea was looking forward to spending time with her brother.

It had been over a month since they’d really spoken, when they’d found out about Roy being stabbed in Iron Heights and they’d both thought he was dead. Since then their lives had become completely insane. She’d died and come back to life, he’d become an assassin, she’d found and lost Roy again and then they’d all worked together to save the city. She’d also found out that her brother was crazy in love with his former EA and was going to run away with her. She didn’t see that one coming at all.

Last night had been nuts. She’d gone out in costume for the first time and it had felt amazing. Even though it was a terrible situation they’d prevailed and the virus had been stopped. Being a hero felt like it was part of her DNA, and she could see why her brother had been so addicted to it.

But then, after they’d won he said he was giving it up. Going away with Felicity. She was still coming to terms with that one. She didn’t really know Felicity that well, but Roy had filled her in on some of it. Seems her brother had been smitten for a very long time.

She was glad when he’d called this morning to say he wanted to spend the afternoon with her. Felicity supposedly had insisted on it, telling Oliver that she had “girl” things to do and to get out of her sight while she got organised.

Thea was grateful that she could have a nice long chat with her brother.

Oliver hugged his sister when he arrived. He looked tired, but better than he had looked in a long time. The haunted look that had plagued him since he came back from the island was gone. There was a light in his eyes. She wasn’t sure if she’d ever seen that before.

“So, you’re going away?” Thea asked

“Yes” replied Oliver.

“For how long?”

“I don’t know” said Oliver “As long as I can, as long as she’ll put up with me.”

Thea laughed – her brother, the former ladykiller, almost looked bashful.

She wanted to know so much. “OK, Roy filled me in on some of this – told me that you had loved for her for ages. But I thought Felicity was seeing Ray Palmer. Tell me, Ollie, what’s going on? I want to know everything. I need to know you’re sure about this.”

Oliver looked at his kid sister. He had never really talked about this to anyone, Digg knew some, but this was his blood. And he wanted to talk about it. Make her understand that this was what he needed to do.

“She’s not with Ray anymore. It ended before we all went to Nanda Parbat. Us not being together, that was a mistake on my part. I kept pushing her away. I thought she’d be safe if we weren’t an us. I thought I couldn’t be the Arrow and be with her.”

Thea looked at her brother, raising her eyebrows.

“I know, I’m an idiot.” Oliver answered as Thea laughed.

He continued “And then she hated me working with Malcolm, after what he did to you and to Sara. She was so angry with me. Told me that she didn’t want to be a women I loved if that’s how I honoured them. And she was right. She usually is when it comes to me. It didn’t help that Palmer was hanging around, being available and listening to her. That was hard for me, when they were together. I didn’t know that I could be so jealous. And I really was, but she came back to me. And I’m not letting her go again.”

“Really. Is it that serious?” Thea asked

Oliver smiled at his sister, the first real smile she’d seen from him in a very long time.  “I’ve known I loved her for 2 years. And I was already too deep when I realised. I kept telling myself with the life I lead, that I couldn't be with her. Notice a pattern here, me being an idiot.”

Thea laughed again, she’d never seen her brother like this. He was lighter, laughing at himself, happy.

So Thea asked “She makes you happy, doesn’t she?”

Oliver answered “She always has. Since I met her, she’s always made me smile. From the first time I saw her, I knew there was just something about her – and after I met her I couldn’t stay away.”

Thea thought for a moment and then opened up to her brother “You know I like her. I don’t know her that well, but I’d like to know her better. Her and Mr Diggle kept trying to keep me out of all this while you were away, telling me not to get involved. They also looked out for me, making sure I was coping.”

“That’s Felicity, and Digg” Oliver replied “They care about you Thea. They’re family to me, and I think they consider you family as well. They’ll always protect you. Mind you, after Malcolm's training and you putting an arrow in me, I don’t think you need that much protection”.

“I was hopping you’d forgotten about that” Thea said smiling

“Oh, no. But thanks for that. Things were getting out of hand and I didn’t know how I was going to stop from hurting Digg. You’re a really good shot by the way”. Oliver said showing pride on his face “Not as good as me, but you have potential”.

Thea beamed. Her brother’s approval meant so much to her. "We'll see about that." But she had to ask “Are you sure about going away. It’s a really big step”.

Oliver thought for a moment, trying to put into words what he felt. “I think we have to go somewhere new. I need to get to know me again, and let her in. I’ve been struggling for a while as to who I really am, am I the Arrow or Oliver Queen. Or am I someone else – but she’s always seen me, right from the start. I think she can help me find out who I really am. Plus I think I’ve earned some time away with my girl.”

“Can’t you do this here?” Thea asked

“No, not really” Oliver replied. “If we stay here we’ll get distracted. For a while I just want to be. To heal. Just the two of us. She deserves to have my undivided attention.”

“But first” Oliver stated, changing the subject “You said you’d seen Roy, how is he?”

 

* * *

 

Felicity hesitated outside John Diggle’s front door. She’d called him earlier, asking to drop by and talk. She didn’t get the chance last night, and she wanted to make sure they were OK before she left on her trip with Oliver. She clutched the bag from Big Belly Burger, with all of John’s favourites in it, hoping he wouldn’t be angry at her for choosing to leave the city with Oliver.

John opened the door just seconds after she knocked. He explained earlier on the phone that Sarah and Lyla were on their way back from Coast City and would be home in a few hours.

“I brought lunch” Felicity said smiling at her friend, showing him the bag.

“As long as you brought me my bellybuster I’ll let you in” John replied, smiling.

Felicity walked into the apartment and put the bag on the table.

“Take off your jacket, Felicity, make yourself at home”

“Really” replied Felicity “You’re not angry with me?”

“Why would I be angry with you?” John asked, a little perplexed “You didn’t kidnap my wife, you didn’t leave Sara alone…My problem is with Oliver, not you, never you.”

“But, I just thought that because, well, you know, we’re going away, together, that you’d think I approved of his actions.” Felicity sounded relieved.

“Oh no, Felicity. I know you’re not happy with him for some of his behaviour recently either. But you have the right to be happy. You both do. Mind you, I do expect you to give him a very hard time about all of this when you think it’s time to talk.”

“John, you know me, of course I’m going to give him hell for all of this. Have I ever let him away with anything?”

John laughed at his friend, well more like his little sister. For all his issues with Oliver at the moment he knew that Felicity would be well taken care of.

He looked at her for the first time, really looked, and he could see that the old Felicity was back. Her innate joyfulness was back and her eyes were shining with happiness.

“I’ll miss you though” said John, “it won’t be the same without you”

“I’ll miss you too” replied Felicity “but I think we need to do this. But on a more practical level, I want to make sure you guys can continue the work we do, if you want to”.

“What do you mean?” asked John

“Like you and Oliver, I always had contingencies. Stuff I didn't tell you about, in case something happened to me. I’ve just come from the backup lair and have set you all up. I’ve made sure the systems there are easy to use. I’ve also set things up that I can fix any problems you have”.

“You’d do that?”

“John, of course I would. It’s still my mission, to help save the city. But don’t tell Oliver. I've a few other things going on as well, but those will wait until we come back."

* * *

Thea wondered where her brother was taking her to after their lunch. He'd picked a sushi place quite far away from the loft, which was a strange choice for him. He then started walking towards the business district.

"Where are we going Ollie?" Thea asked.

"There's something I need to get, before I leave" Oliver replied, suddenly stopping outside their old bank. "It's in our safety deposit box."

Thea was puzzled and confused. There wasn't much left in their family box except Moria's jewellery and a few other nick-knacks. He wouldn't, no, that was insane.

Oliver turned to his sister, needing to ask her permission "Thea, I know we never really talked about how we were going to share mum's jewellery, but would you mind if I took her engagement ring?"

Thea could barely contain her excitement. She tried to keep calm, but it was so very hard "Ollie?" she asked "Why do you need mum's ring?"

He smiled sheepishly. Maybe secrets weren't so good anymore. "I don't need it right now. But I will."

"You're getting married" Thea squealed jumping up and down.

"No Thea, I'm not getting married, yet. I'm just being prepared."

"But you want to, right, to Felicity?" Thea asked

"Yes, sister dear. I do. I want to marry her. But we've a lot of healing to do before she'd ever say yes to me. I'm just making sure I've got the ring if it's right. And you can't tell a soul. Agreed."

"More secrets?" Thea said, smiling, but this one she would keep.

She didn't think she could love her brother more. He'd given up everything so she could live. He had been willing to sacrifice his future with the woman he loved, for her. She could do nothing but wish her brother well.

 

Thea knew, at that moment, for the time being, protecting the city was her job now. 

And she was going to call herself The Red Arrow...

**Author's Note:**

> Reviews and Kudos feed my muse.


End file.
